Hello Devondreamer, and so sorry for your loss.  Losing a parents is one of the hardest losses we will ever go through............as you know, it is soul destroying.  I nursed my Mum through cancer till the end, and even though it was many years ago, I still feel the emptiness of life without her.  However, what I can tall you is that eventually, you reach a place of sad acceptance and the grief begins to subside.  Life becomes bearable again and you start to enjoy things like you once did.  Sadly Devondreamer, there iare no short cuts with grief..........we have to go through the whole range of emotions before we emerge on the other side.  You will never COMPLETELY get over losing your Mum, but like I said before, you eventually accept it in your heart and in your mind.  I am now terminally ill myself, and I would give anything for just 5 minutes with my Mum, just to hold her hand and she would tell me not to feel frightened.  At 72, your dear Mother was not very old, and she should  have had many more years ahead of her, but life can be cruel and unfair, and it seems that the good seem to die young (or youngish).   Anyway Devondreamer, I hope that once your initial raw pain has eased off, life starts looking colourful and bright again for you.  xxx